The opening day results suggest a stormy path for ‘Arry
As the folks at Match of the Day kept stressing, it’s very difficult to tell how a team will fare in the coming season based on the opening matches. However, the chaps at chickendinner have donned their lab coats and booted up the huge science computer, and it looks like Portsmouth may not be enjoy another top eight finish this season..
» Portsmouth were bottom after one game in 2005-06 and ended up finishing just above the relegation zone in 17th.
» West Ham were relegated after starting the season with a 4-0 loss in 2002-03. Also, in the two seasons prior to that, the team bottom of the league after one game were relegated.
» Of the eight teams that started last season with a win, seven of them finished above the team they defeated. The only ones who didn’t were Sunderland, who defeated Tottenham.
» Similarly, in 2006-07, eight teams won their opening game and seven of them finished above the team they beat. The exception was Bolton, and like Sunderland last year, the team they beat were Tottenham.
» The good news for Portsmouth is that in none of the last five seasons has the team bottom on the opening day been relegated.
» In the five seasons between 2001 and 2006, 26 of the 32 opening day victors finished the season above the team they beat on day one.
So therefore:
Arsenal should finish above West Brom
Aston Villa should finish above Man City
Liverpool should finish above Sunderland
West Ham should finish above Wigan
Blackburn should finish above Everton
Hull City should finish above Fulham
Bolton should finish above Stoke
Chelsea should finish above Portsmouth
But!
» For the third year in a row Tottenham could be the exception, which would mean Spurs finishing above Middlesbrough.
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4 responses so far
1 JK // Aug 20, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Yay, this must be true. What a load of tosh!
2 JenniP // Aug 20, 2008 at 3:02 pm
I dont think Pompey will struggle, however with the added games and pressure of UFEA cup football and the lack of cash to spend and some fairly critical departures.
Saying that it was Chelsea we were thumped by, and that happens to the best teams in the League. Wait until we are thumped my Manchester United then we will start to panic :-) (Not that, that its likely to happen, we have a good record against United at Fratton Park).
All a team needs to stay up though are 3 teams worse than them, and I think we can quite happily say we have those.
Jen
3 wayne // Aug 20, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Possibly the most ridiculous conclusion I have ever read wih regard to who will finish where in the league. Jen has responded with a far better and more logical position. This site better offer her a job ASAP.
4 Jimbob // Aug 21, 2008 at 8:58 am
you may have listed out the lottery numbers and told us what the most likely ones will be this saturday.
Jen you have contradictited yourself first by saying the stats are not a good indication and then saying we have a good record vs ManU at home. Either ignore the stats and take each game by game or take note of them whether their good or bad